Hellsing: Paddy's day
by Tina senpai
Summary: A little fic I wrote for a contest surrounding our beloved priest and the lives of the 'young ones' at the orphanage
1. Fresh

~Chapter 1: Fresh~

The halls of the Iscariot orphanage were filled with a merry sound of girls gossiping and people happily chatting. Alexander Anderson waltzed happily down the walls, admiring the wonderful air surrounding that mornings aura.

He felt it to be a special day. Although he treasured each individual day as it came, he knew there was something important about this day. He just couldn't happen to place the date just yet.

"Father Anderson." A familiar voice called him out of his musings and he turned around, facing the familiar ten year old face of Enrico Maxwell.

"Ay' lad?" Alex smiled at him, trying to get one out of the boy. He'd made it his mission to make him smile just once.

"You shall accompany me to the library." Enrico stood with his shoulders down and back and his back straight, asserting himself in front of the much larger male.

"Oh?" Alex was slightly amused, "I thought you did'nae' want any friends?"

Enrico huffed and a small redness came to his cheeks before he pouted and shook it away.

"I do not care for such attachments. I merely need an escort to help me reach the higher shelves." He made his excuses and Alex knew if he teased him any more the boy would probably file a complaint and waste the nuns times with his rantings. Alex chuckled and walked towards the library slowly.

"Well of course Enrico, I'd be happy to."

Alex listened intently, his sharp hearing catching Maxwell' small cough to clear his throat, his nose inhaling sharply to gather courage and those small, precious words whispered up to Anderson.

"Thank you."

Alex turned his head and gazed down at the boy who looked straight ahead.

"Ay'." Was all the priest said, before turning his attention back as they walked through the large doors of the library.

"And I wasn't asking before." Maxwell grunted, having to always have the last word.


	2. Heart to heart

~Chapter 2: Heart to heart~

Anderson walked happily and contently along the hallway to the hall for his lunch, having had a peaceful morning. He'd escorted Maxwell to the library as he said and had spent a good hour there with the boy, picking out the books that he knew would capture Maxwell' attention and keep the boy entertained (or as he said, mildly occupied) for the remainder of the day.

He heard a small commotion down the corridor and slowly poked his head into the girls dormitories. As expected, from all the cursing and profound German expressions he'd heard, Heinkel was sitting on her bed, her knees tucked under her chin and looking as if she'd been in a fight.

Anderson calmly knocked and she looked at him from the corner of her eyes and looked away again, he signal it was ok for him to actually come in and talk to her.

"Whit's wrong Heinkel?" Anderson asked as he approached the bed to the side of her and sat down, observing the dirty clothes she was still wearing (she'd refused anything else)/

"I hate girls." Heinkel pouted and sucked in her cheeks, looking as though she was fighting tears.

"Oh? Why would you hate your own gender?" Anderson calmly leaned forward and made the girl look at him a little bit, being ever so careful as not to come across as another 'caring adult'. She didn't need that. She just needed a friend.

"Because there silly und squeamish und don't play or have fun!" Heinkel glared at him and he could clearly see the tell tale signs that she'd already been crying. In her puffy eyes.

"Oh? And what about the boys? You could always play games with them?" He smiled warmly at her and made sure to remain calm.

"I try! Every time I do, they either make an excuse und leave or just tell me that they don't vant to play with a girl! I don't vant to be a girl any more, I vant to be a boy!" Heinkel grabbed a pillow behind her and lobbed it across the room in front of her.

"Heinkel...," Alex started and moved forward to kneel on the floor in front of her as he held her hands, "you shouldn't wish to be anything you not lass. You're one of a kind and I hope you stay the same. I have an idea."

Anderson stood and gently pulled the girl to her feet, walking with her out of the room. He went straight down to the field, bypassing the lunch hall altogether and got straight to work.

He took the football that wasn't being used and begin to kick it about, passing it back and forth to Heinkel. She joined in slowly at first but soon picked up the pace, showing Anderson her skills and just how good she was, running rings around him even.

Soon enough, a small crowd of boys (Heinkel' age) had gathered, Anderson quickly kicking them the ball and everyone began to join in. Feigning a bad back and his old age, Anderson excused himself, quickly walking away and leaving Heinkel laughing and cheering with her new friends.


	3. No more

~Hellsing: St Patrick's day~

~Chapter 3: No more~

It was becoming late evening and he was thoroughly exhausted. Anderson had had a difficult day, not just with Heinkel and Maxwell, but with the other kids. Some had gotten into fights, some had to be taken to the sick room and one had managed to get their head stuck in the banister railings again. Luckily for Alex, there was one last thing to do.

Almost on schedule, he walked towards his room, expecting the disruption any minute.

"Vater Anderson, Vater Anderson!" A voice behind him called and he sighed, turning around and seeing the familiar face of one of his 'children.'

"Ay' Heinkel...don't tell me...Yumiko?" Anderson smiled down at her and read her expression.

"Ja! This time it vasn't her fault! One of the boys flipped her skirt und Yumie punched him! He deserved it but now, I can't even tempt her out with a muffin I made! Come on!" Heinkel grabbed at his hand and pulled as hard as she could, Anderson immediately going into a jog to keep up with her fast pace. He knew exactly where he was going.

Third floor, second corridor, third door on the right. The small closet that no one used any more and right at the back, a small crawl space in the wall. He walked slowly in and sat down beside the hole, no one coming in and shutting the door to give the two privacy. He leaned his head in the hole and smiled warmly at the small figure crouched in there.

"Hello Yumiko." He said and leaned his head against the wall, observing the frail and small girl who looked ready to shrink away into the shadows.

Yumiko raised her head slightly and looked at him with her sad expression, her eyes slowly closing from tiredness.

"You know, I reckon in a couple of years, you'll be far too big to fit in this hole any more. Of course, you'll still be little Yumiko to me." He leaned his hand in a little closer and held it open for her.

She observed it and sniffed away the last of her tears, rubbing her eyes on her arm.

"You have two choices," he looked at her with a cheeky friendly smile, "one: we can stay in here all night and talk or two: we can go to your room and talk and eat and then you can sleep in your lovely bed. I don't mind staying with you, but I'm sure you and Yumie will both agree that the hole is a bit cramped."

He chuckled and encouraged Yumiko with his warm and loving eyes. The eyes that could switch easily.

Yumiko' face broke ever so slightly as she fought the urge to smile, but couldn't help but give him a quick grin. She leaned forward and took his hand, her tiny hand almost fitting completely in his palm as he helped pull her out.

She pouted and held open her arms when he went to walk away without picking her up first, Anderson couldn't help but chuckle at her innocence. He held her up in his arms and allowed her to rest on one of his shoulders, knowing she needed a good nights sleep more than anything.

He gently laid her on her bed and tucked her in, signalling to Heinkel to keep an eye on her tonight.

He planted one last kiss on her forehead (and a jealous Heinkel') and slowly walked out of the room, casting one last glance through the crack in the door at his two favourite girls as he finally closed the mahogany doors.

"No more tears." He whispered against the closed doors and smiled as he walked towards his room, watching the pale moonlight spill in through the windows and onto the cream rug under his feet, illuminating his way.

Anderson reached his room and shut the door behind him, knowing he was going to have another peaceful night. He'd been given a blessed week without anything going on in the outside world for him to investigate. He'd been given the precious time he needed to spend with himself, his God and his children.

Anderson sat down in his chair, his notes all finished and work all completed. It had been another ordinary day

Anderson couldn't help but chuckle as he noticed the date on the calendar and carefully sipped his cup of tea (mixed with some special 'medicine') to calm his nerves.

"Happy St. Patrick's day old man." He whispered to himself and smiled, another ordinary and special day having passed him by yet again, as his chaotic and wonderful life overtook everything and the days blended into one great memory for him.


End file.
